Improvement in feather-covered parasols



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GUSTAV ANTON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN FEATHER-COVERED PARASOLS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 56.691, dated July 31, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUSTAV ANTON, of the city of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Parasols; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full and exact description thereof, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon.

The main feature of my invention consists in the application of feathers for the forma tion of the tops or coverings of parasols; and in this respect my present invention resembles in its nature the improvement in fans for which a patent was granted to me on the 16th day of January, 1866.

To construct the covering of my improved parasol a number of feathers are so secured to a central piece of wood or other suitable material that they shall diverge from the same on a circular plane in all directions. Enough of the feathers are thus made to overlap each other in regular order to cover a complete circle. The outer side of the feathers being used for the top surface of the covering, the natural curvature of the feathers is made available to produce a very efficient and appropriately shaped top.

.Another feature of my invention consists in so attaching the center piece of the top to the stem of the parasol that the top may be tilted upon a joint atthe upper end of the stem, and thus made to lie flat against the latter. By this means the parasol, being without the ordinary collapsing mechanism, is not only made convenient to carry, while not required for keeping off the sun-rays, but it is at the same time changed into a very handsome and efficient fan, which, owing to its extreme lightness, is very convenient to handle. A telescopic sliding arrangement of the stem and handle is also provided, so that the same may be lengthened for use as a parasol-stem and shortened when required as a fan-handle.

In order that my said improvement may be fully understood, 1 will now proceed more particularly to describe the manner of constructing the same.

On reference to the drawings, making part of this specification, and in which similar letters of reference allude to like parts in the several views, Figure 1. is an elevation of my improved parasol, with the covering shown in section. Fig. 2 is a similar View, representing the parts in position for use as a fan; and

Fig. 3 is a View drawn transversely to Fig. 2 showing the top or covering in plan.

A is the center piece of the top, made of wood, ivory, or any other suitable material, and having an annular groom or recess, a, into which are inserted the stems of feathers b b b, and there secured by glue or cement, or in any other efficient manner. The upper section, (J, of the stem is jointed to A by means of a pin, 0, passing through the top of O and through the downward-projecting pieces (I d of A, between which the end of rod O is laterally confined, Aflat steel spring, 0, is so placed between the lowersurface of A and the top of O that a tension or friction is thereby produced, holding the covering in any required position relative to the handle; and in order to hold the covering more securely when placed in the position represented in Fig. 1, the top of rod 0 is flattened, as there shown. This rod 0 is so fitted into a tube, D, that it may be drawn up or down in the latter for the purpose of adjusting the length of the stem, a small groove, f, and inward projection g being provided in the parts 0 and D to keep the former from turning within the latter.

E is the handle, to which the tube D is at tached, and which may be made of bone, wood, or any other of the usual materials.

It will be readily evident that, with judicious selection of colors and shapes of feathers, a great variety of very beautiful parasols and fans combined may be produced which will be extremely light and efficient for either purpose; and for the ordinary less costly styles that kind of feathers are especially applicable which are generally thrown away in preparing turkeys and other fowls for market.

I claim as my my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent as a new article of manufacture- 1. A parasol having a top or covering composed of feathers secured to a central piece of wood or other suitable material, substanstantially in the manner set forth.

2. In combination with the improved covering, the described tilting motion of the same upon the stem, when the latter is made adjustable in length, substantially as and for the purpose described.

GUSTAV ANTON. Witnesses:

THEODORE BERGNER, GHAs. E. PANCOAST. 

